Around 600 North Korean soldiers have died fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine, a South Korean lawmaker and intelligence expert said today.
"So far, the estimated losses of North Korean troops are around 4.700, including around 600 dead," Rep. Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters after a meeting with South Korean intelligence services.
About 2.000 wounded soldiers were returned to North Korea between January and March by air and rail and are believed to be in isolation in Pyongyang and other parts of the country, Lee said.
As for the dead, their bodies were cremated in Russia and their ashes were transferred to North Korea, the MP added.
"North Korea supported the recapture of Kursk from Russia by deploying 18.000 troops in two phases. Since March, when Kursk was effectively recaptured, the number of clashes has decreased," Li said.
According to him, the possibility of a third phase "cannot be completely ruled out," although Pyongyang has not yet given any signs indicating sending additional forces to Russia.
"Six months after North Korean forces entered the war, it is estimated that their combat capabilities have improved significantly, as their initial inexperience has been reduced and they have become more proficient in using new weapons systems, including drones," the South Korean lawmaker added.
According to him, due to the extended deployment, there have been reports of "improper behavior among North Korean forces, such as excessive alcohol consumption and theft."
Seoul previously said that soldiers sent to Russia, believed to be special forces, were ordered to commit suicide rather than be captured.
North Korea admitted for the first time this week that it had sent forces to Russia to help it retake parts of Russia's Kursk region from Ukrainians.
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